Balfonheim Port
The Port at Balfonheim, commonly referred as Balfonheim, is a location in the land of Ivalice in Final Fantasy XII. It is a town full of sailors and pirates, led by the infamous Reddas. Despite being located in Archadian territory, Balfonheim stays out of the Empire's conflicts. Instead, it is a town willing to offer its services to whoever wants them, such as the Resistance. Sage Knowledge Story As Ashe's party storms the Draklor Laboratory in Archades, they find Reddas there after the same goal: to destroy the Empire's nethicite. Dr. Cid escapes with the pieces of deifacted nethicite, telling the party he's off to Giruvegan, and Reddas takes the party to Balfonheim on his airship. Reddas tells the party Marquis Ondore has already been looking for the sky pirates' assistance to join the Resistance. The war seems closer than ever, but as long as it's Cid who holds the nethicite and not Vayne, there may be hope. The party decides to follow Cid to Giruvegan, but Reddas refuses to join them, saying he has other plans. After returning from Giruvegan the party ends up in Balfonheim and finds Reddas has sent a fleet to Ridorana Cataract, but it caught trouble. After hearing Ashe's plan is to destroy the Sun-Cryst, the motherlode of all nethicite in Ivalice, Reddas joins the party to aid them and gives the party a skystone he stole from the Draklor Laboratory so that the party's airship may fly on the jagd. Reddas sacrifices himself at Pharos, leaving Balfonheim without a governor, but its people honor Reddas's memory and stay true to the path Reddas had set before his death. Locations Balfonheim is located at the southern tip of the continent of Valendia, in the Archadia region, near the Cerobi Steppe. Balfonheim was a place full of troublemakers and cut-throats until Reddas came and got rid of the riffraff, making it a haven to pirates of both sea and air. * Sea Breeze Lane (to the Cerobi Steppe) * Gallerina Marketplace * Chivany Breakwater * Quayside Court * Canal Lane * Saccio Lane * Aerodrome From the aerodrome one can fly to Archades, Bhujerba or Nalbina for 180 gil and dock their private airship for free. Treasures Balfonheim is one of the few areas in the game that has treasures within a town area (where only Vaan is controllable). The treasure in the Sea Breeze Lane next to Dyce is always gil, and will never respawn. Without the Diamond Armlet the treasure is 5040 gil, but with the Diamond Armlet equipped, the amount is reduced to mere 3 gil. North of the Canal Lane area, the player can enter a residence on the right that has a treasure that will never respawn, and without the Diamond Armlet is either an Elixir or a Megalixir. With the Diamond Armlet equipped the treasure is 90% Megalixir, 10% Ensanguined Shield. Quayside Court - The White Cap This chest only appears in the Zodiac versions. Canal Lane - Port Villa, West Side This chest only appears in the Zodiac versions. Canal Lane - Port Villa, East Side ;Zodiac ;Original * - Chest does not respawn. Sea Breeze Lane ;Zodiac * - Chest does not respawn. ;Original * - Chest does not respawn. Notable citizens * Reddas, the leader of the port's pirates. * Rikken, Reddas's comrade, holds a footrace minigame. * Elza, Rikken's friend. * Raz, Rikken's friend. * Dyce, merchant previously met at Jagd Yensa. * Fishing Enthusiast, helps the player with the Fishing minigame. * Viera Wayfarer, viera with a hunt found in the Whitecap Tavern, who gives the party the Dragon Scales item. Quests Hunts The Vyraal is a Rank V Mark whose hunt can be undertaken after the events in Draklor Laboratory are complete. The Vyraal can be found in The Northsward area of the Cerobi Steppe, and enemies will be cleared out when the player enters it. The hunt is petitioned by the Viera Wayfarer in the Whitecap pub in Balfonheim. The player will also receive the Viera Rucksack after the battle, which the Viera Wayfarer will take back when the hunt is reported. She lets the player keep the Dragon Scale, item part of the Wyrm Philosopher quest. Pylraster is a Mark whose hunt becomes available after the events in the Pharos. The hunt is petitioned by Rikken, but he is not sure where to find it. The player can find the Pylraster at the entrance to the Pharos in the section They Who Thirst Not. The player can use the Gate Crystal at the First Ascent, and go outside to find the Mark. Ixion is an Elite Mark found in the Penumbra-Interior area of Subterra at Pharos. The hunt becomes available after the events in the Pharos. It is petitioned by Whitecap Wench at Quayside Court - The Whitecap. Ixion can be found at Pharos's Subterra, on any of the three floors. Pirate Olympics When the party leaves Reddas Mansion after the first time they visit Balfonheim, Rikken and his gang will be outside and give Vaan information about the Feywood. If Vaan talks to him a couple of times, Rikken will invite him for a footrace minigame. The minigame consists of 100 levels that reward the party with treasures, including the rare loot Slime Oil. Racing requires pressing two buttons together. Beating the pirates gets the party potions and curative items. At tier 100 the reward is 10,000 gil, and any tier higher than tier 30 will give Unpurified Ether and/or Elixirs. Rikken is normally in the lead, and travels at about the same speed as Vaan, making it difficult to pass him until near the final turn, where he slows down for a second. If the player did not steal Slime Oil from the mark Orthros, the only other way to obtain one is to win the tier 90 footrace. ;Rewards # Potion # Phoenix Down # Eye Drops # Antidote # 10 gil, Echo Herbs # Gold Needle # Alarm Clock (Prince's Kiss in Zodiac versions) # Handkerchief # Bacchus's Wine # 100 gil, Balance Mote x2 # Potion x2 # Phoenix Down x2 # Eye Drops x2 # Antidote x2 # 20 gil, Echo Herbs x2 # Gold Needle x2 # Alarm Clock (Prince's Kiss in Zodiac versions) x2 # Handkerchief x2 # Bacchus's Wine x2 # 300 gil, Float Mote x2 # Potion x3 # Phoenix Down x3 # Eye Drops x3 # Antidote x3 # 30 gil, Echo Herbs x3 # Gold Needle x3 # Alarm Clock (Prince's Kiss in Zodiac versions) x3 # Handkerchief x3 # Bacchus's Wine x3 # 800 gil, Teleport Stone x3 # Potion x4 # Phoenix Down x4 # Eye Drops x4 # Antidote x4 # 40 gil, Echo Herbs x4 # Gold Needle x4 # Alarm Clock (Prince's Kiss in Zodiac versions) x4 # Handkerchief x4 # Bacchus's Wine x4 # 1500 gil, Vanishga Mote x2 # Potion x5 # Phoenix Down x5 # Eye Drops x5 # Antidote x5 # 50 gil, Echo Herbs x5 # Gold Needle x5 # Alarm Clock (Prince's Kiss in Zodiac versions) x5 # Handkerchief x5 # Bacchus's Wine x5 # 2500 gil, Reflectga Mote x2 # Potion x6 # Phoenix Down x6 # Eye Drops x6 # Antidote x6 # 60 gil, Echo Herbs x6 # Gold Needle x6 # Alarm Clock (Prince's Kiss in Zodiac versions) x6 # Handkerchief x6 # Bacchus's Wine x6 # 3500 gil, Hi-Ether x2 # Potion x7 # Phoenix Down x7 # Eye Drop x7 # Antidote x7 # 70 gil, Echo Herb x7 # Gold Needle x7 # Alarm Clock (Prince's Kiss in Zodiac versions) x7 # Handkerchief x7 # Bacchus's Wine x7 # 4500 gil, Holy Mote x2 # Potion x8 # Phoenix Down x8 # Eye Drops x8 # Antidote x8 # 80 gil,Echo Herbs x8 # Gold Needle x8 # Alarm Clock (Prince's Kiss in Zodiac versions) x8 # Handkerchief x8 # Bacchus's Wine x8 # 6000 gil, Hastega Mote x2, Caramel # Potion x9 # Phoenix Down x9 # Eyes Drops x9 # Antidote x9 # 90 gil, Echo Herbs x9 # Gold Needle x9 # Alarm Clock (Prince's Kiss in Zodiac versions) x9 # Handkerchief x9 # Bacchus's Wine x9 # 8000 gil, Scathe Mote x2, Slime Oil # Potion x10 # Phoenix Down x10 # Eye Drops x10 # Antidote x10 # 100 gil, Echo Herbs x10 # Gold Needle x10 # Alarm Clock (Prince's Kiss in Zodiac versions) x10 # Handkerchief x10 # Bacchus's Wine x10 # 10000 gil, Elixir x2, Unpurified Ether Great cockatrice escape quest A cockatrice called Moomer is in the chocobo pen at Sea Breeze Lane of Balfonheim. The player must talk to the Chocobo Wrangler by the chocobo pen and show her the Feather of the Flock, then talk to the Miffed Moogle, and then Gurdy, to receive the Defender. The Feather of the Flock item, needed to talk to cockatrice, is found in an urn in the Giza Plains Tracks of the Beast area during the Rains. Fishing rod The fishing minigame is played in the South Bank Village of the Dalmasca Estersand. To begin the fishing sidequest, the player must have completed the Cactuar Family sidequest and the portion of the game's storyline at the Draklor Laboratory. After speaking with Ruksel at the South Bank village, the player must travel to the Port at Balfonheim and speak to the Fishing Enthusiast outside of the Aerodrome. The player must talk to him twice and ask about the fishing rod, then run to the Aerodrome's entrance and back to the same spot without leaving the area. The Muramata fishing rod will be near the wall where she was sitting. The player can return to Ruksel at the Dalmasca Estersand to begin the minigame. Shops Note: The items available for purchase change throughout the game. These items may not all be available at the same time. Beruny's Armaments - Beruny ;Original ;Zodiac Beruny's Armaments - Emma ;Original ;Zodiac The Leapin' Bangaa ;Original ;Zodiac Quayside Magickery ;Original ;Zodiac Odo's Technicks ;Original ;Zodiac Dyce A treasure containing 5040 gil (without Diamond Armlet) can be opened near him. Weapons ;Original ;Zodiac Armor ;Original ;Zodiac Accessories ;Original ;Zodiac Magicks ;Original ;Zodiac Ammunition ;Original ;Zodiac Technicks ;Original ;Zodiac Items ;Original ;Zodiac Loot ;Original ;Zodiac Waterfront Gambits |valign="top"| |} Map The map can be bought Sea Breeze Lane for 80 gil. The map below is for the original version; the Zodiac version has some differences in treasures (see above). Musical themes The theme of Balfonheim is called "The Port of Balfonheim" . Other appearances Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade Gallery Balfonheim-FFXII-TZA.jpg|Beach. Sea breeze lane.png|Sea Breeze Lane. Sea-Breeze-Lane-FFXII-TZA.jpg|Sea Breeze Lane. Quayside court.png|Quayside Court. Gallerina marketplace.png|Gallerina Marketplace. Chivany breakwater.png|Chivany Breakwater. Aerodrome.png|Aerodrome. Balfomheim-port.png|Port. Balfonheim-Manse-FFXII-TZA.png|Manse. FFXII Amano 4.jpg|Promotional artwork of the party at Balfonheim by Yoshitaka Amano. Etymology The name is a combination of three German words: Bald ("soon"), Von, pronounced "Fon" ("of"), and Heim ("home"). Therefore, the city's name means "Soon of Home", a fitting name for port city. Trivia * It is possible to visit Balfonheim before the events in Draklor Laboratory. If the player takes a chocobo from Phon Coast and rides it all the way across the Tchita Uplands to the east, they can enter the Cerobi Steppe that has a way into Balfonheim. If the player comes to Balfonheim at such an early time, only the Sea Breeze Lane area is explorable. de:Balfonheim Category:Locations in Final Fantasy XII Balfonheim